BERLIN. Former Environment Minister Klaus Töpfer (CDU) has died at the age of 85. He died on Saturday after a short but serious illness, the CDU confirmed to the dpa. First they had New Westphalian and that Westfalen-Blatt reported.
He was the second German Minister of the Environment. He held office from 1987 to 1994 under then Chancellor Helmut Kohl (CDU). He was then replaced by future Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU).
Töpfer is a recipient of the Federal Cross of Merit
During his time as Environment Minister and afterwards, he was considered the ‘green conscience’ of the Christian Democrats. The Silesian native became involved as early as 1988 Power supply from so-called renewable energy sources.
After the Second World War, the man born in 1938 came to Höxter in Westphalia. He last lived there with his wife. In 1990 he received the Federal Cross of Merit from Chancellor Kohl. Töpfer has been an honorary citizen of the city of Höxter since 2011. (sv)